At the end of the 19th century, the bluebloods took over the bare-knuckle prize ring, put gloves on the contestants and laid claim to the fights. It was the best and worst thing that had ever happened to boxing: Now civilized, the sport grew in popularity but compromised its savage soul. In the 1950s, televisions arrived in American living rooms and fans tuned in to watch the Friday-night fights. It was the best and worst thing that had ever happened to the sport: Though immensely profitable, boxing lost a primal connection with its most avid fans, the spectators in the arena.
Between these eras, during the so-called golden years, the best and worst thing that happened to boxing was the mob.
This was a period in which a fighter had to be “connected” to compete in the fights at Madison Square Garden—the fights that mattered. The mobsters—Frankie Carbo, Frank Costello, “Blinky” Palermo, Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel and countless figures associated with the Genovese, Lucchese and Gotti crime families— controlled every aspect of boxing management and promotion, the fights and fighters. Yet the same era spawned such champions as “Cinderella Man” James J. Braddock, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano and the self-proclaimed “Greatest of All Time,” Muhammad Ali.
Kevin Mitchell, the chief sports writer for the London Observer, unravels the helix of the mafia and the fight game in “Jacobs Beach,” his second book on the sweet science. (“Jacobs Beach” was a nickname for the corner of Broadway and Eighth Ave. in Manhattan, where fight fans would crowd for tickets at the offices of promoter Mike Jacobs.) Less about the sport than about the business intrigue surrounding it, Mr. Mitchell’s account brings to life the fight world of that era, often drawing on his own interviews with athletes and notables, such as writer Budd Schulberg, boxer Joe Miceli and trainer Lou Duva.
“Let your greatest cunning lie in covering up what looks like cunning”– Baltasar Gracián (Spanish Jesuit and baroque prose writer), 1601-1658
“Winning comes down to two things: Taking advantage of your opponents mistakes and perfect timing” – Michael John Mason VI (Father to son boxing advise when I was a young amateur)
This year, when I haven’t been traveling, I have been spending a bunch of time in Beverly Hills, working on some big “heists”, so to speak. So after Entering The Dragon at The Wildcard and a beautiful day at the Getty, I find myself at a Private Club in West Hollywood for dinner and drinks.
Here are the attendees at the dinner:
• Entertainment CEO, who I have never met
• Oscar nominated Producer, who I have met
• My friend in the Horse world and girlfriend
• My friend who works at big corporation putting it all together
• Some young Hollywood Actor, who I don’t know
• Hollywood stylist guy (British), who I don’t know
• Two Brazilian model girls, who came with Producer guy
• And Your humble author, AKA Your favorite International Playboy’s favorite International Playboy
It promises to be a pretty vague affair, and I have no real purpose being at the dinner, I was just invited by my friend, the corporate cat. It’s a meet and greet with a little biz on the agenda. You know, your typical Tableaux de mode turning into a Fête galante with potential to be a Bacchanale.
It should be noted that I feel slightly un-centered, possibly because of the fact that I completely out-gunned (so to speak) at this dinner, as almost everyone, save the girls, are more accomplished than I am (at least in a mainstream sense) and have longer dough. And it doesn’t exactly comfort me when I start having flashbacks of knuckle-ups “on the cobbles” with big Russian guys with bald heads and leather jackets, from a few weeks prior, either. It also should be noted that I have been increasingly been finding myself in these types of situations as I move up The Layer Cake of life.
However, I am dressed in a sick Custom Suit: jet black, peaked lapels, one-button, side vents and interior so crimson that if we were in South Central you might have thought I was Brim or Piru. Pocket Square the color of Colombian Blow.
The conversation at the table starts off cordial and loosens up as vino consumption is increased. I stay in the cut, and only add comments where necessary and when I can add value as I am well versed in many subjects these days (not bragging, just keeping it solid gold like 1oz American Eagle coins for you). Doing this keeps an air of mystery around me, and the table really starts coming around. Entertainment CEO double takes after I drop a few gems and asks me, “What is it that you do again?”
The Brazilian model girls take notice, which, of course, is not lost on me. Also, what is not lost on me is that the weesh Young Hollywood actor guys starts hating on me. Which, of course, I ignore and continue to stay in the seam.
Surprisingly, it is actually shaping up to be a great dinner; Entertainment CEO guy is running the show and is actually super cool, Oscar nominated Producer guy spins some good tales, my horse world friend and his girlfriend drop dimes, Stylist guy busts some hilarious tales that everyone loves, the Brazilian Girls are having fun and my corporate friend is gluing it all together. It is one of those rare occurrences:The whole table is gelling.
Well, maybe not Actor guy, as he is trying to “close talk” one of the Brazilian model girls (which is a weak move) but I notice her “body languageing” him away as I am busting out a story. I spit out a little Portuguese which the Brazilian Model girls love and the actor boy hates as he does not speak any.
Feeling good now, I drop some good lines:
I use the phrase, “like that guy from Wikileaks” multiple times, and even drop this one: “Oh you mean, Rahm Emanuel’s brother?” to check everyone as the discussion topics are a little too Hollywood-centric for my liking.
Since there is a lot of name dropping (albeit legitimate name dropping) going on, I comtemplate busting out my Wesley Snipes Story, but decide against it.
When Entertainment CEO guy asks me what I think of his favorite wine, I reply, “It is rich and decadent with seamless overtones of violets and homemade country jam, and it really has a Harmonious finish…” which sends the crowd wild. (Little did everyone at the table know, save my corporate friend, is that I always use that response when asked about the wine at dinners such as these.)
Hollywood stylist guy, throws out, “Who made your suit? It’s phenomenal…”
Entertainment CEO even shoots out a, “OK, that’s it, this is the best dinner I have been to all year!” after Stylist guy, who is a true raconteur tells another hilarious story (and I am not talking about those cats that made that dope movie Cocaine Cowboys either, or maybe I am).
“Camilla” the flyer of the two models, a true Beauty of monumentality and vulnerability, follows me for a smoke when actor boy is in the bathroom.
It’s on.
She starts asking me questions as I tell tales of Mediterranean courtyards and terraces and her vibe goes from romantic expectation to dreamy absorption to erotic playfulness quicker than a Samba dance at Carnaval.
We roll back to the table and the dinner is still frolicking along at a decent pace. Some owner and GM type cats roll by as well as plenty of West Coast style Hipster/Douchebag fusion types that Los Angeles is leading the world in producing these days. They are probably actors if I am hard pressed to guess.
Actor guy, vanquished, leaves in discomfiture with a couple of Hipster/Douchebag fusion types, I am presuming in search of Beaks.
Entertainment CEO has to go home to the wife and kids and the extravagant meal kind of breaks up. Some go to smoke weed, some merge with other tables, Camilla and I split for a drink.
Back at my dope hotel (which my horse world friend hooked me up at a discounted rate, I may add), Camilla plays the part of a young girl defending herself against Eros.
I play the part of Mischief and Repose.
Camilla and I sip a glass of wine and admire the sensuous textures of my suite: marble, fur, tile, silk, flesh…
The Rest is Up to You…
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA GFK, Jr.
AKA The Sly, Slick and the Wicked
AKA The Voodoo Child
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
Disclaimer: Some of the above characters are merged and/or changed to protect the innocent. And the guilty. But then again, if you have a brain, you knew that already.
Goldline Hired 3 ‘Boiler Room’ Salesmen Sued By SEC
Congress will open hearings Thursday into the controversial sales practices of Goldline, the precious metals dealer that pioneered the practice of weaving its sales pitches into broadcasts by popular conservative political personalities such as Glenn Beck, Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson.
Rep. Anthony Weiner, the New York Democrat who called the hearings, described Goldline sales tactics as a “profound rip-off” in an interview with ABC News. He plans to focus on methods that have turned the sale of gold coins into a multi-million-dollar bonanza for Goldline and other firms, especially in recent years as economic uncertainty has turned gold into a hot investment. The company, which is sending a top executive to testify, has said Weiner’s attacks are motivated by “a political agenda.”
But ABC News has learned the hearings may also draw attention to some of the controversial figures involved in the company, and activities they engaged in prior to taking jobs on the Goldline sales force.
Among them are three Goldline sales associates who were taken to court in the 1990s by the Securities Exchange Commission on allegations that they used deceptive mass mailings and what are sometimes called “boiler room” tactics to defraud 115 mostly elderly investors out of $1,180,000 over 13 months, according to court records. The scheme allegedly involved selling shares in a 1-900 telephone line. Investors were allegedly promised 24 percent returns after a four-month period or a 203 percent return after a sixteen-month period — estimates the SEC called highly misleading and false, the court papers say.
Paul Land, Charles Boratgis and Morrey Wasserman settled the case without conceding guilt, but agreed to return all the money they had been accused of obtaining through their allegedly fraudulent scheme.
Cigarette smoke causes immediate damage to the lungs and to DNA, and President Barack Obama’s administration will make stop- smoking efforts a priority, federal health officials said on Thursday.
Smoking hurts not only the smokers, but people around them, and taxes, bans and treatment all must be used together to help get smoking rates down, U.S. Surgeon-General Dr. Regina Benjamin said in a report on smoking.
“The chemicals in tobacco smoke reach your lungs quickly every time you inhale causing damage immediately,” Benjamin said in a statement.
“Inhaling even the smallest amount of tobacco smoke can also damage your DNA, which can lead to cancer.”
I have mentioned many times before that I have gotten back in to Boxing this year as serious as I have ever been since I boxed Golden Gloves as a young pup. Working out seven days a week, and sparring three times per week.
Along with jumping rope, one of the things that has helped me get back into top form is Shadow Boxing. Watch one of the best:
Sergio Martinez Shadow Boxing
His footwork, tempo and rhythm are excellent. He just keeps his hands so low. But its working for him, so who am I to say anything.
Good video of some Sergio Martinez Hightlights:
The very beginning of the video he does a shuffle left then an off beat, off tempo, perfectly timed shot. Perfectly. One of my favorite moves.
In other news, here is an interesting article about Stephen A. Schwarzman:
“The United States is going through a difficult time politically, and having other types of issues that everybody in this group knows about,” Mr. Schwarzman told the conference, adding, “The political calculus of the last two years hasn’t resulted in a winning calculus.”
Among the European assets he’s examining: Irish real estate, which he believes will be soon available at bargain-basement prices as a result of Ireland’s sovereign debt crisis.
“They just set up a massive R.T.C.,” Mr. Schwarzman said, referring to the Resolution Trust Corporation, the government agency that liquidated assets seized during the savings and loan crisis in the United States. “They barely know what they own.”
But he does not like every foreign market, expressing relief that Blackstone stayed away from Spanish real estate in 2006, and noting that in parts of Europe throughout the last few years, “the risk/reward equation was really wrong.”
He also cautioned investors to remain patient in the face of economic unrest, and to wait for signs of improvement until investing heavily in distressed foreign markets.
“You want to wait until there’s really blood in the streets,” he said, adding, “You’re better off paying 10 percent more into a healing situation than trying to pick bottoms.”
